Shotgun shell reloading press



1, 1966 R. s. HAVOURD ETAL 3,232,147

SHOTGUN SHELL RELOADING PRESS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 9, 1964INVENTO R5 RICHARD 5. HA VOL/RD W/LL lA/Vl .5. W/NTON BY 64 m nmeATTORNEYS 1966 R. s. HAVOURD ETAL 3,282,147

SHOTGUN SHELL RELOADING PRESS 5 Sheecs heet 2 Filed Sept 1964 INVE ORSHA OaRD WILL/A M .S'. W NTON RICH RD s.

B 4 we WX TZNEYS 1956 R. s. HAVOURD ETAL 3,232,147

SHOTGUN SHELL RELOADING PRESS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 9, 1964 all,

INVENTORS RICHARD HAVOURD W LL/AM W/NTON BY 10710.4

ATTORNEYS w &

tes

This invention relates to reloading of ammunition and more particularlyto a reloader for shotgun shells.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a tool forreloading shotgun ammunition which is simple to use but insures accurateresults in resizing, loading, wad pressurization and crimping of theshotshell case.

It is another object of this invention to provide a shotshell reloadingtool which eliminates shell handling throughout the entire procedurefrom the step of resizing to final crimping.

A further object of this invention is to provide a shotshell reloadingtool having simple and effective means for ejecting and dischargingspent primers and inserting new primers.

It is also an object of this invention to provide improved means foruniformly pressurizing shotshell wads.

The above and other objects and advantages of this invention will bemore readily apparent from the following description with reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which:

FlG. 1 is a perspective view showing a reloading tool embodying thisinvention;

FIG. 2 isa perspective view partly in section of ashotgun shell;

FIG. 3 shows a shotgun shell sizing die partly in section;

FIG. 4 shows a wad guide with parts cut away;

FIG. 5 is a partial front elevational View showing the reloading toolembodying this invention;

FIG. 6 is a section taken along line 66 of FIG. 5;

PEG. 7 is a partial side elevational view illustrating the primerejection system of the reloading tool embodying this invention;

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view showing the primer ejection system;

FIG. 9 is an elevational view showing the wad pressurizin g meansembodying this invention;

FIG. 10 is a section taken along line 1tl-10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a partial elevational view of the wad pressurizing systemwith the components thereof in different operative relationship; and

FIG. 12 is an elevational view showing the sizing die extractor systemof the reloading tool embodying this invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, in FIG. 1 is shown an overall viewof a shotgun shell reloading tool or press embodying this invention. Ingeneral the press comprises a base 12 by which the unit may be securelyattached to a supporting surface, such as work bench or the like. Asshown, the base is bolted to a supporting bench b by means of screws orbolts 14. A tubular rod or shaft 16 extends upwardly from a socket 17(FIG. 7) in the base and provides support for a turret 18 and a slidefor ram 20. The turret is rotatably mounted on the shaft 16 and providessupport means for a plurality of individual tools used in the shotshellreloading process. A shell s, shown in FIG. 1, is carried to and fromthe turret by means of the ram 2i). The ram slidably disposed on thepost 16 is raised and lowered by an operating lever 22 in a manner to bedescribed below.

Disposed above the turret 18, adjacent the upper end of the rod 16, isthe powder and shot charging assembly atent 0 Patented Nov. 1, 1966 lCeindicated generally at 24. The assembly includes one hopper 26 for theshot and a second hopper 28 for the powder which are selectively chargedinto the shotshell carried on the arm.

A general understanding of the construction of a shotshell is considereda prerequisite to a full understanding of the shotshell press embodyingthis invention. As shown in FIG. 2, a shotshell consists of a base 30usually formed of brass or steel. A tube 32, usually paper or plastic,extends upwardly from the base. The upper end of the tube is folded orcrimped inwardly closing the mouth of the shell as shown at 34. Theprimer 36 is fitted into the base 30 and a base wad 38 surrounds theprimer 36. The powder 40 is disposed within the case and directly overthe powder is a wad 42 which serves as a pressure seal and assists inproper burning of the powder so that correct pressures are produced.This wad is usually made of a cardboard-like material or plastic. Animportant factor in the performance of reloaded shotgun shells is thepressurization of the powder charge by the Wad 42. Superimposed over thepowder wad 42 is a cushion or filler wad 44. This wad is also known asthe under-shot wad. The under-shot wad cushions the explosion of thepowder to reduce recoil and distortion of the shot pellets and alsoprovides filler so that, after the shot charge is placed in the shell, asufiicient length of tube wall remains for proper crimping. Theundershot wad may be made of various resilient materials includingfiber, felt, cork and the like. The shot pellets 46 are disposed abovethe wad 44. The load depends on the use to be made of the shells beingloaded, and various sizes of shot are available. The upper end of theshotshell is closed by the crimps 34. To make perfect crimps thecontents, i.e., the powder, wads and shot of the reloaded shell must besuch that after the case is charged with the shot pellets apredetermined length of the case wall extends above the upper surface ofthe pellets.

To reload a shotshell, as shown in FIG. 2, the press, as shown in FIG.1, includes three circumferentially spaced stations on the turret 18,the first station shown generally at 50 is for resizing the shotshell,depriming the old shell and repriming. Station II shown generally at 52serves for powder charging, wad seating and shot charging, includingproper wad pressure adjustment. Station III shown at 54 crimps andejects the loaded shell from the sizing die 56, FIGS. 1 and 3.

The sizing die is formed of two parts, namely, a tubular sleeve 55 and ahardened steel resizing ring 57. The inner diameter of the sleeve istapered, corresponding to a shotgun chamber and serves to preventexpansion of the shotshell tube wall during reloading and wadpressurizing. As shown, the upper edge 58 of the ring 57 extendsinwardly to retain the ring and sleeve in assembled relation. The ring57 is dimensioned for a floating or slightly loose fit on the lower endof the sleeve 55. The lower flange 59, of the rings 57, has an internaldiameter d accurately dimensioned to resize the metallic base of theshotshell. At the bottom, the flange 59 includes a lip 59 beveled on itsouter surface to interfit with a correspondingly shaped recess in shellholder 68 carried on ram 2% as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. With thisarrangement, the sizing die ring 57 is effective to resize the brassbase of shotshells down to the rim thereof. Furthermore, with this twopart construction of the sizing die, the ring 57 is capable of alignmentindependently of the sleeve 55. It will thus be realized that theoperation of the sizing ring 57 is independent of slight misalignment ofthe sleeve 55 such as might be caused by im-perfections' or inaccuraciesin the tube portion of a shotshell.

The reloading tool is operated by the operating handle 22 which extendfrom a bar 60, rotatably supported by base 12. A pair of rods 62 (FIG.7) extend radially from the bar 60, the rods 62 are disposed on oppositesides of the upright portion of the base 12. Pivotably connected to eachof the rods 62, adjacent their outer ends, is a connecting link 64 shOWnin FIGS. 1, and 7. The opposite end of each connecting link 64 ispivotably connected to the ram or press 26 by means of a pin 66. Withthis arrangement, as the operating lever 22 is swung forward anddownward, the bar 60 i rotated carrying the bars 62 whereby the ram israised by the connecting links 64. The base also includes a primer cup63 which extends from its upper surface directly below the ram. The cupis supported on the upper end of a spring 65 which is disposed around apost 67 extending upwardly from the base 12. As the ram is lowered, thecup is moved downwardly compressing spring 65 and the upper end of theupright post 67 serves to seat the primer in the shell.

The shell carrying ram 21 operates on the shaft 16 which is supported insocket 17 provided in the base 12. As mentioned, the shaft 16 is tubularand extends from the base 12 upwardly through the turret 18 and itsupper end supports the powder and shot charging assembly 24. The ram 20is provided with a shell holder 68 (FIGS. 9 and 10) having a counterboreinto which fits the rim of a shotgun shell. The flange 71, forming thecounterbore is tapered outwardly and upwardly so as to interfit with thetapered lower lip of the sizing die. The shell holder has a centralopening or hole 69 to permit ejection and insertion of primer asdescribed. As a preliminary step to reloading, the shotgun shell isfirst inserted into a sizing die 56, as shown in FIG. 3.

The turret 18 includes a bore 70, FIG. 6, which receives the post 16.The turret is pivotably held in a fixed axial position on the shaft 16by means of collars 72 held in place entire post 16 by any suitablemeans such as set screws 74. The hub portion 73 of the turret extendsupwardly from the surface of the turret and is provided on its uppersurface with a plural ity of circumferentially spaced cavities orrecesses 75 corresponding in number and location to a number ofcircumferentially spaced holes 76 for securing to the turret varioustools and dies to be used in the resizing operation. A spring loadedball 7'7 is carried in the upper collar 72 and functions with the recess'75 to provide a detent arrangement for accurately registering thetools, carried by the turret, with the shell carried by the ram. Theturret can then be rotated in a series of steps from one circumferentialposition to the next.

In the embodiment shown, three tool elements extend downwardly from theundersurface of the turret 18. Of course, a greater or lesser number oftools can be employed since five tool locations are provided, As shown,the first of these, previously referred to as Station I, is representedgenerally at 511. To use a tool mounted at this station, the turret isrotated so that the tool is vertically disposed over the shotshellcarried on the ram 21). The turret detent arrangement assures accurateregistration. At the first station, a decapping punch 82 exendsdownwardly within a cylindrical shell 84. The diameter of the shell 84is such as to receive the upper end of the sizing die 56 until the lowerend of the shell 84 comes into contact with a rib or flange 86 on asizing die. By downward operation of the lever 22 the sizing die is thusforced downwardly over the base 30 of the shotgun shell. By forcing thesizing die over the shell base 30 (FIG. 2) in this manner the shell isresized. At the same time, the punch 82 forces the old primer out ofshell base. The spent primer is carried by a chute 86 (FIGS. 7 and 8)into the tubular rod 16 through a longitudinal slot 88 in the wall ofthe rod. The chute 86, rod 16 and box 90 serve as an ejected primerdisposal system.

The primer disposal or ejection system comprising chute 8-6 ispivota'bly mounted on a pin 92 extending across the interior of tubularrod 15. A spring 93 urges the chute upwardly to the position shown inFIGS. 7 and 8. Downward movement of the ram 20 moves the chute 86 downagainst the pressure of spring 93. The chute is thus swung through slot88 into the shaft 16. As the ram is raised, the chute 86 isautomatically swung upwardly by spring 93 ready to receive the nextexpended primer. A skirt or baflie plate 94 extends downwardly from thechute pivot pin 92 and eliminates the possibility of spent primers beingdeflected outwardly through the longitudinal slot 88.

After depriming and resizing the shell, the operating lever 22 israised, returning the ram 20 to its lower position shown in FIGS. 1 and5. With a new primer disposed in primer cup 63, the shell is reprimed byfirm upward movement of arm 22, the primer being inserted through hole69 in the center of shell holder 63, FIG. 10. Turret 18 may then berotated to the next position, bringing station 52 in vertical alignmentwith shell s. In this position, feed spout 95 of the charging assemblyis disposed directly above a funnel 96 which is fitted into feed tube100 (FIG. 5). The funnel can be raised to the spout 95 to eliminate thepossibility of spilling powder or shot. The tube 100 is supported insocket 80, extending upwardly from turret 18, by means of a nut 102screwed onto the threaded upper end of the tube 101 The feed tubeextends upwardly through an opening 104 in the socket 80. Powder may becharged into the shell s at this time by moving charging bar 105 from Pto S and powder is fed through funnel 96 and tube 100 into the shell.The ram may then be lowered and wads are placed in the wad guide 112.The ram is then raised again to pressurize the wad.

The pressurization system includes a compression spring 1116 seated inthe socket 811 between its upper wall and radial flange 105 on the feedtube 100. The feed tube 100 is threaded for a portion of its lengthbelow flange 105 receiving a cylindrical sleeve having an annular flangeor ring 111 at its lower end which serves as a wad pressure adjustingring in a manner to be described.

Removably telescoped over the lower end of the tube 189 is the wad guide112, shown also in FIG. 4. Flexible metal fingers 113 clamp onto thetube 180 to hold the wad guide in place on the tube and guide the wadinto the shotshell. As the ram 20 is raised by the operating lever 22,the lower end of the tube 100 engages the wad E4 and forces it into theshell s. Continued movement of arm 22 simultaneouslycompresses wad 44and spring 106 Compression of the spring can be continued until theflange 111 of the sleeve 110 engages the lower surface of the turretplate 18, thus providing a positive stop. A pressurization scale isimprinted on the upper end of the tube 100 and the correct wad pressureis obtained by moving the operating handle 22 until the correct pressurereading on the pressurization scale is registered with the upper surfaceof the turret, as shown in FIG. 9. The scale shows the extent ofcompression of spring 1% caused by the lower end of feed tube 100compacting the wad and powder column in shell s. With the ram held inthe correct position, ring 111 is then rotated to move it downward untilit contacts the top edge of wad guide 112. When the flange is engagedwith the upper edge of the wad guide 112, it is in turn seated in thetop edge of sizing die 56. The distance the tube extends into shotshellsis thereafter limited to predeterrnined distance a, as shown in FIG. 9.Since there is a continuous column of metal from the shell holder 68 tothe flange 105 of tube 180, ram 20 can be elevated pressurized by movingthe operating lever to raise the funnel 96 into proximity with the feedspout 95, a positive stop being provided by ring 111 contacting turret18. It is thus unnecessary to observe the pressure scale.

After pressurization of the wad, the charging bar is moved from P to S,whereby shot is charged into the shell through funnel 96 and feed tube100. The funnel may be raised to spout 95 to prevent spilling of anyshot. The ram is then lowered and the turret swung to the next toolstation for crimping of the upper end of the shell casing. At thisstation there is a crimping die 120 extending downwardly from the turret18. Mounted on the outer surface of the crimping die 120 is a springmetal extractor arm 122 having a small projection for engaging theundersurface of rib or flange 86 provided on the sizing die 56. The arm122 extends downwardly and outwardly from the die 120.

To assure uniform crimps, the ram 20 is fully raised and handle 22 isfirmly pressed downwardly. Thereafter the ram may be lowered andextractor arm 122 is deflected inwardly against the sizing die 56. Theprojec tion 124 engages the rib 86 and holds it against any furthermovement. Thus, as movement of handle 22 is continued, the shell isextracted from the die during the terminal portion of the ram stroke.The finished reload may then simply be removed from the ram shell holderreadying the press for the next reload. Another shell disposed in thedie 56 is placed in the shell'holder 68 on ram 20. The turret 18 isrotated to its first position with die 84 registered above the shell.The shotshell press is now prepared for another cycle of operation.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed 1. A shotshellreloading press comprising a base, primer insertion means disposed onsaid base, a tubular post extending upwardly of said base, a turretdisposed on said shaft in axially fixed relation above said base, a ramslidable on said post above said primer insertion means, mechanicalmeans to move said ram in a stroke toward and away from said turret,said turret being rotatable on said shaft, means for mounting on saidturret, in circumferentially spaced relation, a plurality of implementsused in shotshell reloading, detent means for releasably retaining saidturret in a plurality of angular positions in which each of saidimplements is in registered alignment with said ram, a shot and powdercharging assembly fixedly disposed above said turret, said turretincluding a primer ejector, a combination powder charging and wadcompacting tube, and a spring compressed by upward movement of saidcompacting tube, indicia on said tube indicating the compression of saidspring, and positive stop means adjustable to limit said compression ofsaid spring to a predetermined value shown by said indicia in compactinga wad but permitting unlimited compression of said spring in response toupward movement of said ram, whereby said tube is raised substantiallyabove its wad compacting position for receiving a charge of shot, acrimping die including a shell extracting arm extending downwardly andoutwardly of the outer surface of said crimping die, said arm beingsufliciently flexible to be flexed into engagement with a sizing diecarried on said ram to extract the shell from said sizing die bymovement of said ram away from said turret.

2. In a shotshell reloading press having a rotatable turret and areciprocable ram, a wad. pressurizing system comprising a socket formedon said turret, a combination feed and wad compaction tube disposed insaid socket and extending downwardly therefrom, a spring seated betweenthe upper end of said socket and a shoulder on said tube and compressedby upward movement of said tube, a scale on the upper end of said tubeto indicate the extent of compression of said spring when said tube ispressurizing a wad, a sleeve threaded onto said tube below said turretand adjustable to limit the distance of insertion of said tube into ashotshell for a given spring compression at a desired reading on saidscale but not limiting upward movement of the tube in response to rammovement whereby predetermined wad pressurization is obtained whileenabling further compression of the spring by said ram in raising thefeed tube to a charging position.

3. In a shotshell reloading press as set forth in claim 2 and in which apowder and shot charging system is disposed above said turret, and afunnel is disposed in the upper end of said tube, said funnel beingcarried upwardly by said tube when said ram is raised furthercompressing said spring, said funnel is disposed to receive a chargefrom said charging system but without further pressurizing said wad.

4. For use in a shotshell reloading press having a reciprocable ram, thecombination comprising a shell 'holder carried by said ram having acounterbore slotted to receive thereon the rim of a shotshell, theflange forming said counterbore being tapered outwardly and upwardly anda sizing die comprising a tubular sleeve and a hardened ring tiltablycarried on the lower end of said sleeve and dimensioned to resize thebase of said shotshell, the lower edge of said ring being tapered tointerfit with the taper of said shell holder.

5. For use in a shotshell reloading press as set forth in claim 4 inwhich said sleeve has an'internal configuration corresponding to thechamber of a shotgun for said shotshell.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,004,420 6/1935Siebert et a1. 8623 2,660,085 11/ 1953 Swansick 8636 3,819,644 1/ 1958Corcoran 8630 2,960,903 11/1960 Scott 8623 3,001,436 9/ 1961 Deitemeyer8625 3,057,247 10/ 1962 Behrens 8625 3,097,560 7/1963 Ponsness et a1.8629 3,105,408 10/1963 Bachhuber 86-25 BENJAMIN -A. BORCHELT, PrimaryExaminer.

R. V. LOTTMANN, P. A. SHANLEY,

Assistant Examiners.

1. A SHOTSHELL RELOADING PRESS COMPRISING A BASE, PRIMER INSERTION MEANSDISPOSED ON SAID BASE, A TUBULAR POST EXTENDING UPWARDLY OF SAID BASE, ATURRET DISPOSED ON SAID SHAFT IN AXIALLY FIXED RELATION ABOVE SAID BASE,A RAM SLIDABLE ON SAID POST ABOVE SAID PRIMER INSERTION MEANS,MECHANICAL MEANS TO MOVE SAID RAM IN A STROKE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAIDTURRET, SAID TURRET BEING ROTATABLE ON SAID SHAFT, MEANS FOR MOUNTING ONSAID TURRET, IN CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED RELATION, A PLURALITY OFIMPLEMENTS USED IN SHOTSHELL RELOADING, DETENT MEANS FOR RELEASABLYRETAINING SAID TURRET IN A PLURALITY OF ANGULAR POSITIONS IN WHICH EACHOF SAID IMPLEMENTS IS IN REGISTERED ALIGNMENT WITH SAID RAM, A SHOT ANDPOWDER CHARGING ASSEMBLY FIXED DISPOSED ABOVE SAID TURRET, SAID TURRETINCLUDING A PRIMER EJECTOR, A COMBINATION POWDER CHARGING AND WADCOMPACTING TUBE, AND A SPRING COMPRESSED BY UPWARD MOVEMENT OF SAIDCOMPACTING TUBE, INDICIA ON SAID TUBE INDICATING THE COMPRESSION OF SAIDSPRING, AND POSITIVE STOP MEANS ADJUSTABLE TO LIMIT SAID COMPRESSION OFSAID SPRING TO A PREDETERMINED VALUE SHOWN BY SAID INDICIA IN COMPACTINGA WAD BUT PERMITTING UNLIMITED COMPRESSION OF SAID SPRING IN RESPONSE TOUPWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID RAM, WHEREBY SAID TUBE IS RAISED SUBSTANTIALLYABOVE ITS WAD COMPACTING POSITION FOR RECEIVING A CHARGE OF SHOT, ACRIMPING DIE INCLUDING A SHELL EXTRACTING ARM EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY ANDOUTWARDLY OF THE OUTE SURFCE OF SAID CRIMPING DIE, SAID ARM BEINGSUFFICIENTLY FLEXIBLE TO BE FLEXED INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH A SIZING DIECARRIED ON SAID RAM TO EXTRACT THE SHELL FROM SAID SIZING DIE BYMOVEMENT OF SAID RAM AWAY FROM SAID TURRET.